Couch potato

Not me. In contrast to yesterday when I was desk bound, bed bound, and mori bound - sorry moribund - I actually managed to get out of the house twice today and still get plenty of work done. My first trip out was to the local village shops, which meant passing the garage. This is run by two middle aged mechanics (the twins) who live in the cottage next door and have an antique Shell petrol pump in their front garden. One of them was outside as I walked past and gave me a wink and a big grin.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you” I said “what’s your take on electric cars?”

He pulled a sour face. “I know it’s got to happen” he said “but they should have started years ago and now they’re rushing it. The technology just isn’t reliable. I know a bloke with a top of the range electric Jag and it’s spent more time in the garage than out of it.” He sighed. “And they are so quiet. It’s not natural. You can’t hear a whisper. I like to be able to hear a car’s voice; every one is different, you get to know them. Fast though. Bloody fast. Much quicker than petrol engines”.

Next up was the Italian deli. I bought two loaves, still warm from the oven. A very large Australian gentleman made conversation with me. He was from Sydney, but he didn’t know where Maroota (where we have family) was. No-one knows about Maroota. It’s a gadfly sized place on the edge of the bush, people keep cows as pets and you have to drive half an hour to get a pint of milk. Unless you have a cow. Good to talk though.

At lunchtime I bought coffee in Ivy’s. “Hello Justin” said Sarah the Hungarian Barista. “Hello Sarah” says I. 

“Good to see you busy” I said.

“It’s good to have people sitting in again” she said. I was getting so lonely!”

Loneliness isn’t good for you. It’s good to talk. Not that TSM and I did much of it today; she got in from work at 7.15 and had dinner then the phone rang. An hour later she was still talking with a colleague about vaccinations and stuff. Her problem is that she spends all day at work talking …

This will definitely go down as a busy year.